Today's Bike Ride

[molehill]

Always wear my old running shorts and bum hardens up, but I think the pot holes and rough roads were a bit too much over that length.
I blame the government for my sore arse, they should do something about it…..

[anthonykay]

Something that has happened several times on cycle rides in recent years, including today, is another cyclist greeting me by name as they go past, and I have no idea who they are. Inevitably they are disguised in goggles and a helmet (unlike me). Trying to identify someone by voice in a brief greeting is fairly hopeless.

Would the tall cyclist who was on the road between Swithland and Woodhouse at about 12:10pm today please identify yourself?

[Graham Breeze]

Thank you, but had a sore bum at Lampeter - need to purchase some padded cycling shorts as finding my running shorts have their limitations after a few hours ☹

Absolutely. I bought a pair from Keith Lambert's shop in Bingley. Keith was an ex-pro.rider, coach, team manager, etc and he said you can ride in anything but make sure you wear the best shorts you can afford.

And they are so flattering you are sure to get admiring glances.

[Marco]

Would the tall cyclist who was on the road between Swithland and Woodhouse at about 12:10pm today please identify yourself?

Wasn't me. I'm not tall, and I was sunbathing on top of the Weaver hills (Staffordshire) at the time.

I'm still hopeful of meeting you whilst cycling some day in the west Leicestershire, or slightly further west, area - and if you're riding your Hetchins bike I'll spot you and introduce myself

[Marco]

Absolutely. I bought a pair from Keith Lambert's shop in Bingley. Keith was an ex-pro.rider, coach, team manager, etc and he said you can ride in anything but make sure you wear the best shorts you can afford.

And they are so flattering you are sure to get admiring glances.

Keith Lambert? I saw him ride as a professional at least a couple of times

On the subject of cycling shorts, the question is whether you go for shorts with a waist or bib-shorts (like dungarees - sort of). As soon as they were the same price I went for bib-shorts, but they may not be for everyone.

Bib-shorts don't have much of a waist, as the bib part works like braces to hold them up. If you have a bit of a belly they will be more comfortable. They will also last longer, as my experience of shorts with a waist was that it was always the elasticated waist that went first. The only disadvantage is if you need to stop for a toilet break, when things get, er, more complicated ...

And Graham's right, if you get padded shorts you will get admiring glances (I apologise for the image I've just put in everyone's mind )

[mr brightside]

Well, this morning i did what most fell runners with rolled ankles do- chose a bike for the summer and blew the tyres up. I went for the Raleigh Special Products (Handsworth S/N, 853, 7400), as i spent most of last summer riding the C50.

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50m for today up to Skyreholme where i had lunch at the Parcevall Hall tea room. This is the new best cafe in lower wharfedale after buffers closed, virtually nothing ever happens other that tea being brought out and the occasional dog barking, which is part of it's charm; the surroundings are sublime even on a rainy day. I had pea soup and made a point of wanting extra bread for my carb intake. The ride was almost hijacked by the leeds marathon, but they were too slow and i got through before they turned up. I forgot my water bottle, so had to empty my other old one of puncture repair stuff and drink beck water out of that. The spare tube had gone shitty and the bottom of the bottle was sticky with old crud and bits of rubber, i had no choice. Stopped at the craven arms for a couple of pints on the way back.

[mr brightside]

17m today, kinda pointless really as the work colleagues who said they'd be there weren't there, but I'm keeping the pedals turning and my fitness going. In retrospect I saved a fortune, as they were at a city centre cocktail bar where drinks were a tenner a throw, and the pint of Aired Ale I had in bramhope on the way back cost less than a fiver. A mojito would have been nice though.

[SCOOT]

Part of todays tandem ride took in Wrynose bottom to Dungeon Ghyll via Blea tarn. 25% up then 25% down. Been putting it off but we remained seated and had no dramas or wobbles. Some of the cars seemed to be having a panicky time but if you insist on taking your 3 piece suite along those roads you probably deserve to.

[mr brightside]

Some folk now have cars that are bigger than vans on a narrow lane. They can't see out of them either, some betracksuited wag in a Jag x-pace nearly hit my Polo on Friday, basically cos it's hard to see such small objects from a cruise liner.

On the bike I've now taken to shouting and annunciating my presence like Brian blessed running Shakespeare lines. Nothing discourteous, I like phrases such as careful now, and steady on sir.

[Graham Breeze]

Some folk now have cars that are bigger than vans on a narrow lane. They can't see out of them either, some betracksuited wag in a Jag x-pace nearly hit my Polo on Friday, basically cos it's hard to see such small objects from a cruise liner.

On the bike I've now taken to shouting and annunciating my presence like Brian blessed running Shakespeare lines. Nothing discourteous, I like phrases such as careful now, and steady on sir.

Only a cad drives a Jaguar.